Sluice-box.



No. 695,085. Patented Mar. Il, |902.

L. B. TANNER.

SLUICE BOX.

(Application led May 9, 1899,) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

wila/naamw y W5/M y No. 695,085. Patented Mar. Il, |902..

L. B. TANNER.

SLUICE BOX.

(Application tiled Nfay 9, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 She'ets-Sheet A2'.

N I mml lllwrrno @maras afrenta* rrrcn.

LEWIS n. TANNER, or SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,085, dated March11, 1902.

Application filed May 9,1898. Serial No. 680.193. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LEWIS B. TANNER, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing in the city of Seattle, in the county of King andState of Washington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Machines for Mining Gold, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvement-s in machines forseparating gold from gravel, sand, or earth in which a running stream ofwater is maintained over and through the dirt containing the gold untilthe dirt is carried away, leaving the gold; and the object of myinvention is to recover and save the line or iiour gold that hasheretofore been washed away with the dirt; and it consists in thedetails of construction and operation of parts, as willbe hereinaftermore fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,and in which like letters indicate like parts, Figure l is a plan. Fig.2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken upon the linel 2 of Fig. l.of the quicksilver-traps detached. Fig. i is an enlarged view of -theagitator. Fig. 5 is a cross-section upon line 3 4L of Fig. l lookingtoward the fiume. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line 3 4:, Fig. l,looking from the flume. Fig. 7 shows detached parts.

A represents a flume of suitable size with an open end B, near which Iremove the bottom of the flume and over the opening place a plate ofmetal C, usually termed a grizzly, perforated with any desired number ofholes a of a suitable size to permit the passage of the water and thesand and small gravel containing gold thrown into the flume by the minerabove the grizzly O and to exclude the larger stones that are carried onover thel water.

Fig. 3 shows one' end of the sluice-box and preferably covering theentire space beneath the perforated plate C is placed anamalgamating-plate E. This plate extends from side to side and may belocated any suitable distance above the bottom of the sluice-box; but anelevation of about two inches from the bottom seems to be the mostadvantageous position for it.

The amalgamating-plate E is made, preferably, of sheet copper drawn orotherwise formed with contiguous depressions or circular cups h of anysuitable diameter anddepth to contain quicksilver Afor attracting andlholding the gold falling with the dirtupon the plate and washed over itby the constant current of This copper amalgamating-plate E, with itscups l), is electroplated or otherwise covered with silver, Aand when inuse the cups b are filled with Quicksilver, which by the action of thewater and dirt falling from the perforated plate C upon it isdistributed over the spaces intervening between the cups b and theremaining silvered surface of the plate for which the quicksilver has anafhnity. This quicksilvered surface attracts and retains all the goldcoming in contact with it as the dirt drops upon and is washed over it.A partition F sustains the edge of the plate E and, extending from sideto side of the sluice-box, forms one end of the chamber G, into whichthe water and dirt flow upon passing over the plate E. The opposite endof the chamber G is formed by the movable slide or gate H, that is madea trifle higher than the partition F, so as to check up and hold thedirt in the chamber G While the current of water and the agitator I workit over.

Vhen it is desired to cleanse the sluice by flushing,the gate I-I maybelifted out. This gate may move in any suitable guide that the judgmentof the mechanic may su ggestfor instance, as indicated in Fig.l of thedrawings.

The agitator I has a steel frame of any suitable length extending fromside to Side of the sluice-box and is composed of two steel side bars Kand L, held together bya series of convexe-concave cross-bars M, thatare flattened at their ends and riveted or otherwise fastened to theside bars K and L with their concave side downward. The convexo-concaveform .concave reduces the frictional surface to the minimum, and formingthe top convex sents a cutting edge to thedirt.

The side bars K and Lrest and travel freely upon two steel slide-bars Nand N, resting upon the bottom of and secured to either side of thesluice-box and extending from the partition F to the gate H. On top, ateach corner ot' the frame of the agitator, is riveted one end of aright-angled fiat bar of steel, the opposite end extending upward farenough to form the guide-arms c c c c, that bear against the guide-barsO and O and hold the frame in place as it travels back and forth andprevents the cutting of the sides of the sluice-box.

The guide-bars O and O' are preferably made of steel and are secured toeither side of the sluice-box any desired distance above theframe,according to the length ofthe guide'- ailnlS.

To the center of the end bar M of the frame the two ends of the arms ofa yoke P are riveted, which has a small rod d passing through the armsof the yoke, that serves to hold one end of the pitman Q, through whichthe agitator receives its reciprocal movement. The pitman Q is a flatsteel bar, and the attachment to the rod d is made by means of a notchor slot e in the pitman near the end that fits down upon the rod. Theopposite end of the pitman is attached to the arm fof the rocking shaftR.

The rocking shaft R extends across the sluice-box and rests uponbearings g and g', that are secured to the top of each side of thesluice-box, bringing the arm f immediately over the center of the frameI inline with the yoke P. The end of the rocking shaftR terminates in aright-angled arm or crank h, to the end of whichf is attached the pitmanS, which conveys motion from the crank t' of the axleT of the overshotwater-wheel U.

The cranks h and c' must be of such proportionate length as to convertthe rotary motion of the Water-wheel into a reciprocating motion for theagitator I. The water-wheel U may be of any well-known form ofconstruction suitable for the purpose and should be -so located as toreceive the current of water and earthy matter from the traps at themoment of its discharge.

Immediately in front of the gate H, upon the bottom of the sluice-boxand extending to its open end and from side to side, is placed anamalgamating-plate V,similar in construction and operation to the plateE. This plate receives the dirt as it is washed over the gate H, and itscups 1c and surface being electropl'ated with silver and charged withquicksilver retain all the gold that comes in contact with its surface.

A series of traps W are attached to the end of the sluice-box to catchany quicksilver or preamalgam that may be carriedpast the end of thesluice-box by the current of water, gravel, and sand passing through thesluice-box.

The traps W are made of metal, preferably of sheet-copper, electroplatedor otherwise covered with silver and formed upon an eccentric curve, thelower edge r'being turned in over the bottom of the trap in order thatthe descending current received from the sluice-box may be given acentripetal movement and turned inward so as to thoroughly shake up thematerial and give the heavy matter a chance towork its Way downward,thereby causing the Quicksilver and gold to settle to the bottom of thetrap. The ends of the traps fit into a groove corresponding to theireccentric curve in the side pieces o@ which may be made of metal orwood. These side pieces are held in place snug up against the end of thetraps by two or more headed rods k', passing through the sides andtightened up by nuts. The top edge of the upper trap is passed under theedge of the plate V, where it is secured together with the plate by anysuitable means, preferably by a headed bolt and nut, to the bottom ofthe sluice-box. The top edge of each succeeding trap is bent snugly overthe lower edge of the preceding trap and pressed close in against theinner surface of the trap. Any desired number of traps may be containedin a series for a sluicebox. In the center of each trap an opening Z isprovided for drawing oft the quicksilver and amalgam When required. Thisopening is closed by a headed bolt m, with a threaded end and nut n. Theseries of vtraps are' made adjustable to enable the operator to changetheir pitch and adapt them to the quantity of water furnished by thefiume. For this purpose steel bars o o are secured to the top of thesluice-box on each side near the end and project backward and downwardwith a suitable curve to a point about half-way of the length of thetrap sides X X. A hole near the end of each of these bars receives theend of a screw-threaded eyebolt p from the under side, which is held inplace by a nut q en top of the bar. By tightening or loosening this nutthe desired pitch of the traps may be secured to enable the miner to adjust the traps to the flow of the water. The lower end of the eyeboltisinterlocked with an eyebolt r', that is attached to one of the sidesas.

When clay abounds or other similar matter causes thedirt to adhere andform lumps, a frame Z is placed upon the bottom of the sluice-boximmediately under the agitatorframe. This frame is made similar to theagitator-frame of convexo-concave bars, but is placed in the sluice-boxwith the concave side upward, so that the lumps may be cut between thesharp edges of the bars of the agitator and lower frame. This frame isremoved when the dirt is not lumpy.-

The several parts of this device must be supported in their relation toeach other by IOO IIO

suitable framework; but this framework may be of any Well-known form ot'construction suitable to the position in which the device is to beplaced, and that from the nature of the case must be more or lessarbitrarily controlled by the source of water-supply. Where for anyreason it is advisable, other means than a Water-wheel may be used toop` erate the agitator.

The operation of this device is as follows: The fiume, sluice-box,traps, and water-Wheel having been properly located and placed inposition ready for use, Quicksilver is placed in the cups of theamalgamating-plates E and -on into the traps.

V and in the chamber G. Water is now turned on, and the miner shovelsthe pay-dirt into the fiume just above the perforated plate. The currentof Water carries the coarse matter over the plate, the iner droppingthrough the holes. This precipitation will accelerate the action ofseparation, and much of the heavier matter (gold) will find its waythrough to the quicksiiver and be held in the cups or attached to thesurface of the amalgamatingplate. From the plate E the current passesover the chamber G, filling it with sand to the top ofthe gate II,covering the agitator I, and passing over the plate V and traps XV,filling the buckets of theovershot wheel U, thereby setting the wheel inmotion and oscillating the agitator. This keeps the dirt stirred and inmotion as it passes over the agitator, which enables the heavy particlesto settle to the bottom of the chamber,where the quicksilver holds allthe iine particles of gold that reach it. The current passing on overthe gate and onto the amalgamating-plate V again submits the dirt to theaction of the cups and Quicksilver of this plate and carries the dirtThe action of the traps is here twofold-they catch the Quicksilver aswell as the gold that may have been carried over the forward part of thesluice-box.

In cleaning up 7 the sluice-box I take out the agitator and, drawing outthe plate E, clean it oft with a rubber brush, cleaningl the cups of allquicksilver and amalgam, remove the gate H, and brush the contents ofthe chamber G and cupped plate V into the traps, and as soon as thegravel and sand are Washed out ofthe traps shut off the water and:remove bolts m from the` openings Z and drain the traps of the thereaccumulated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and as of myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-n 1. In an amalgamator,the sluicebox proquicksilver and amalgam vided at one end with theraised amalgamating-plate E formed with circular cups in its surface, atransverse partition F forming a support for one end of the plate andconstituting one end of a chamber G which receives water and dirt fromsaid plate, a gate H constituting the opposite end of said chamber andbeing higher than the partition F, and a fiume A having a perforatedVbottom above the plate E and extending transversely across thesluice-box, substantially as described.

2. In a sluice-box, the combination with an amalgamating-plate locatedat one end of the box beneath a iiume, and an amalgamatingplate at theopposite end of` the box, of the cross-partitions located at theadjacent ends of the two amalgamatingplates to form an intermediatechamber to receive the water and dirt from one amalgamating-plate anddeliver it to the other, a reciprocating agitator in said intermediatechamber composed of the side bars and a series of transverse bars havinga convex top surface and concave bottom surface and connecting the sidebars together, and means for reciprocating the agitator-frame,substantially as described.

3. The combination with the sluice-box, of the sliding agitator-frameprovided with convexo concave transverse bars, the convex faces of thebars being uppermost, the bars located at opposite sides of thesluice-box for the agitator-frame to slide on, guide-arms extendingupward from the agitator frame, guide-bars located parallel with thesides of the sluice-box for said guide-arms tobear against, and meansfor reciprocating the agitator-frame, substantially as described.

4. The combination With the sluice-box, of the sliding agitator-frameprovided with. convexo concave transversebars, the convex faces of thebars being uppermost, the rockshaft connected with said agitator-frame,the water-wheel at the end of the siuice-box, the pitman connecting theWater-wheel with the rock-shaft of the agitator-frame, and a trapbetween the end of the sluice-box and the water-wheel for deliveringwater from the box to the Wheel, said trap containing a number of metalplates each formed upon an eccentric curve with their curved endsextending in the direction of the sluice-box, substantially asdescribed.

LE WIS B. TANNER.

Witnesses:

H. S. ABBOT, RosWELL SooTT.

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